


on a tidal wave, hollywood skin

by snakebitehearts



Category: Baseball RPF
Genre: Age Difference, Alternate Universe - No Girlfriends/No Wives, Established Relationship, Just Straight Up Fluff, M/M, excessive cali euphemisms
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-04
Updated: 2018-01-04
Packaged: 2019-02-22 08:53:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,218
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13163517
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/snakebitehearts/pseuds/snakebitehearts
Summary: Mike fell in love with California without noticing it.





	on a tidal wave, hollywood skin

**Author's Note:**

  * For [FrostedGlassCoffin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/FrostedGlassCoffin/gifts).



> If you are mentioned/know anyone mentioned in the tags of this story PLEASE CLOSE THIS TAB. No slander or negative connotation is meant with the creation of this story. It is a work of fiction. Any true parts of this piece are publicly released knowledge. The rest is 100% fiction, and any truths are coincidence. 
> 
> title from Honey by The Brinks. this band was the only thing i listened to while writing this.
> 
> not beta'd. all mistakes are my own.
> 
> this takes place during the 2015 season.
> 
> i have a tumblr which will be linked when authors are revealed
> 
> (note: i have been to california four times in my life. i apologize if all the cali stereotypes aren't too accurate. again, i've visited, but i definitely do not live there. i am, as I refer to mike in this, a sheltered farm boy )

Mike fell in love with California without noticing it.  
-  
It was early morning, the sun peeking out from the mountains. Mike remembers the car ride that day, hands intertwined lazily over the gearshift. Huston would look over and smile at him at red lights. Mike tried not to blush like he was a kid back in high school on his first date. He doesn’t think it worked very well. He felt his cheeks go hot, his face burning. Huston didn’t seem to care though, tightening his hold on Mike’s hand as they drove to the stadium. Huston’s hand was warm in Mike’s. The windows were open and Mike felt good enough to let his arm hang out the window. It was warm, even early in the morning in the front half of April. California was always warm like this, Mike was starting to realize. Kansas wasn’t forgiving like this, the weather as moody as the people themselves. 

He could get used to the warmth, he thought. It made him think of early mornings in Huston’s bed and late summer nights in the bullpen. It was okay. 

-

Mike shook the water from his hair as he trudged up the sand. It was June, the sun beating down on Mike’s already tanned skin. Huston lied on a towel, sunglasses over his eyes and hands tucked behind his head. Mike crept over, as silent as possible, before flopping his head onto Huston’s chest.

“Holy shit!” Huston exclaimed, shifting so Mike’s head fell onto the soft sand. Mike laughed, even as he lifted his head up and sand fell near his eyes.  
Huston had pulled the sunglasses off, glaring at Mike as he tried to brush the water away. 

“Come on, I wanna swim,” Mike whined, looking up at Huston with the best puppy dog eyes he could muster. 

Huston sighed, tugging Mike up from the sand and pulling him along toward the ocean. Mike smiled sweetly, but it turned smug once Huston glanced away again. 

Mike jumped right in when they reached the water’s edge, swimming out a bit and turning to look back at Huston. Huston entered the water slowly, hissing at the cold the entire time until he reached Mike. 

“Used to the water like a true California boy, huh?” Huston teased, his long arms wrapping around Mike’s waist under the water. 

“Maybe so,” Mike replied, nosing along the line of Huston’s jaw. He pressed a kiss, soft, against his cheek, trailing his lips to Huston’s.

Mike’s fingers were pruned when Huston finally got him out of the water. He handed Mike a towel as he brushed the sand from his feet. Mike opted for shaking out his hair once more, hitting Huston with droplets a few times.

Huston kissed him once, a peck on the cheek, before slapping his ass and turning towards the car.

Mike huffed, but he guesses he asked for it. He spares the beach a leaving glance. The sun was setting in oranges and pinks, the waves crashing against the rocks playing them out. Mike smiled and turned to follow Huston, flip-flops squeaking beneath his feet and sand stuck to his skin. 

-

“I don’t get brunch. Like, what’s the point?” Mike asks one morning in late July, Huston in the kitchen making what he declared ‘brunch’. Mike stands near the table as ESPN plays e background on the tv.

“More food?” Huston answers, bumping his hip with Mike’s as he sets the plates down.

“Okay, but like, we’re not hobbits. We don’t have second breakfast or shit like that. Just brunch.” Mike replies.

Huston sits and Mike follows. He doesn’t miss how Huston quirks an eyebrow as they hook ankles underneath the table.

“You a big Hobbit fan, babe?” Huston laughs as Mike scowls.

“No, I’m just saying…” Mike trails off as Mike leans over the table to place a kiss on his forehead.

“It’s not that big of a deal. It’s a late breakfast. An L.A thing, you know.” Huston says, starting to eat.

It is late, Mike guesses. Why it’s late doesn’t escape him either, his cheeks flaring a bit. But he looks up at Huston, who’s smiling over at Mike. Huston’s shirtless, his hair a mess and Mike can see the faintest bruises smattered across his collarbones. Mike smiles back, biting into his toast anyway. 

-

Mike likes playing in L.A. His teammates tease him about being a ‘sheltered farm boy’, but don’t prod too much at the way his face still lights up during every game. The warmth is nice, obviously, but the whole ballpark just makes Mike short of breath. It could also be the MLB thing, though, a realness he still hasn’t quite gotten over. The games aren’t the greatest, riding a smidge over .500, but there’s still an easiness to the bullpen. Sure, they get nervous before entering the game, but for the most part, it’s calm. It’s early September, a night game. Mike has his hoodie pulled on though there’s only the slightest chill. Cali’s spoiling him, he thinks. 

August hadn’t been great, objectively, a losing record on the month, but Mike tries to be upbeat anyway. It’s still the bigs.

Huston offers him some seeds, 4th inning, and Mike takes them with a smile. They’re cautious in the ballpark, but he still feels like some of their teammates know about the two of them. Probably Perez. Catchers know everything.

The games turning into a shit show, and quickly, and Mike tries to ignore the sinking in his chest. His own numbers aren’t the best this season. He’s been trying, working harder, but it doesn’t seem to be helping. 

Huston’s put in in the 8th. They lose, but he doesn’t give up a hit. Mike offers him a tired smile as they drive home after the game. Huston doesn’t reply, but he does take Mike’s hand. It sucks, but there’s still tomorrow. He knows Huston still loves playing here. Mike thinks he does too. The radio plays softly as they leave the stadium. 

-

The season doesn’t end the way they want. Missing the playoffs isn’t any team’s goal, but here they are. Locker clean-out passes in a silence Mike doesn’t like. He doesn’t like the way the air sits heavy on his shoulders that night, Huston holding him close as he sleeps. 

Mike leaves to go home not long after the end of the season, around Mid-October. Huston takes him to the airport that morning, the light seeping into the car.

“Hey,” Huston says, knocking Mike out of his daze. Huston leans over and kisses Mike, hard, sadness pouring through the kiss. 

Mike kisses back like a lifeline. His chest aches. He knows it won’t be for long, but after spending all season with someone, a few days seems like forever. 

Huston kisses him once more, secretive with hats pulled down low, after helping him get his bags. Mike presses a kiss to Huston’s cheek and promises to call before turning to leave. He's sad as he moves throughout the airport, snagging the window seat as he gets on the plane. His heart hurts as they take off, watching the city get smaller behind him.

He realizes, only then, that as he fell in love with Huston, he fell in love with L.A too.

**Author's Note:**

> writing this fic has gotten me emotionally attached to these two. i might write in their tag in the future, probably just fluff pieces though. 
> 
> anyway, hope you enjoyed, and happy holidays!


End file.
